Two very different cultures met head-on when award-winning singer Adele took
her distinctive south London style to Hollywood

When Adele bumped into Jennifer Aniston on the Oscars red carpet on Sunday, two very different worlds collided. Adele, who accidentally called Aniston “Rachel” (after her character from Friends) when the two met in a ladies’ loo in 2011, could have been greeting a girlfriend at the pub on a night out. “Omigodomigod!” she shrieked, reaching towards Aniston with a wave that turned into an awkward hand‑hold. Aniston smiled politely and calmly extricated her hand, smoothing down her pristine Valentino gown.

But not even a red carpet snub could spoil Adele’s evening. Just a few hours later, the 24-year-old picked up the 106th musical award of her career: an Oscar for Skyfall, the title track from the film, which she sang and co-wrote. It was the first Academy Award for a Bond film in 47 years, and Adele’s first Oscar. Once again, the big-voiced girl from Sarf Landan did us proud.

Amid a crowd of stick insects, all wearing flowing dresses in unimaginative shades (see opposite), Adele was dolled up like a glitterball.

“My dress weighs 15kg, it’s so heavy!” was all she had to say about her bespoke Jenny Packham gown. With her reddest lip gloss and shiny platform heels befitting of a Brixton disco, Adele cannoned up and down the red carpet. She looked like she had “literally come for a night out”. We watched her dedicating her award to her boyfriend, Simon Konecki. “My man, I love you, baby,” she squealed. And how we loved her for it.

That haunting, effortless performance of her winning song cemented her reputation as the greatest British pop star of her generation. Her voice is breathtaking. It’s little wonder that, after just five years in the spotlight, Adele has a fortune of £20 million. In the past 12 months alone, she has collected five Grammys, two Brit Awards and an Oscar. Her second album, 21, was No 1 in the UK charts for 10 weeks, beating a record set by Madonna in 1990.

All this for the girl who grew up to a single mother; who was inspired by the Spice Girls and R&B singer Gabrielle. The girl who wrote her first hit, Hometown Glory, about West Norwood; whose second album was inspired by a boyfriend who broke her heart by text. The girl whose career was nearly ended by a vocal cord haemorrhage in 2011; who cancelled all appearances when she found out she was pregnant. She is unassuming, humble, homely – everything that this weekend’s Oscars wasn’t.

And that’s the best thing about Adele. She doesn’t do dress codes; doesn’t feign politeness; doesn’t feel the need to lose her curves. And you can bet that she won’t turn her back on the country she calls home.